Well today I've officially overdosed on Stags and aluminum builds. Yeah, I even finally ordered all my parts so I can post pics of some builds of my own. So I sat down and started thinking about building up one of my carbon fiber lowers.

Who all makes carbon fiber uppers? I know Bushmaster makes the CARBON-15 and Vulcan makes Carbon Fiber uppers... does anyone else make them?

DV8

02-13-2006, 6:29 AM

Just to let you know, I bought a carbon fiber upper on the cheap (70) a few years ago. When I installed the barrel, the barrel nut stripped the threads on the receiver. This after I was being extremely careful. I read on arf.com that some other guys had the same problem.

Some other guy managed to build his up, but after awhile the notch where the charging handle caught the upper wore off. So the handle didnt have anything to catch on.

End results were all the same, we went back to aluminum.

Pablo

02-13-2006, 1:02 PM

No Carbon fiber uppers/lowers for me!

I posted this on another thread:
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=27863&highlight=carbon+fiber

C.G.

02-13-2006, 1:28 PM

No Carbon fiber uppers/lowers for me!

I posted this on another thread:
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=27863&highlight=carbon+fiber

Totally agree with you, carbon fiber does have some advantages in some applications, but its weaknesses are that 1) at this point there is no way that I know to check for faults reliably; 2) when it fails, it fails catastrophically usually without warning (such as alongation or cracking).

shopkeep

02-13-2006, 4:06 PM

After seeing those Vulcan carbon fiber uppers there's no way I'm putting anything other than a Bushmaster Carbon Fiber on my Carbon Fiber lowers. I'll prob just build up an Aluminum rifle off one of my STAGs for now though. Thinking about building up one of my Carbon Fibers later though.

grammaton76

02-13-2006, 4:12 PM

Eech. Looking at that rear pin hole, it makes me think that although it may be somewhat passable for a free-state AR, a california AR which is being reloaded every 10 rounds by hinging open the top is going to break in no time!

DV8

02-13-2006, 7:28 PM

Thats one reason why vulcan/hesse rifles are a big no no. You may get away with one of their carbon lowers (provided everything is in spec) because theres not much stress on the lower. But why go plastic when aluminum parts cost the same and are readily available...

If you want plastic, go su-16...by the way dont you just love Vulcan's advertising? Weapons of the special forces baby!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e275/dv830/header.jpg

shopkeep

02-14-2006, 12:32 AM

If you want plastic, go su-16...by the way dont you just love Vulcan's advertising? Weapons of the special forces baby!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e275/dv830/header.jpg

Yeah... gotta love the Vulcan ad. You trying to tell me that my Vulcan Carbon Fiber lowers aren't being used by elite special forces in hot spots around the world right now :D? heheheheh j/k!

grammaton76

02-14-2006, 12:34 AM

Yeah... gotta love the Vulcan ad. You trying to tell me that my Vulcan Carbon Fiber lowers aren't being used by elite special forces in hot spots around the world right now :D? heheheheh j/k!

As paperweights, sure! ..wait, they're too light for that.

Maybe as tent stakes?

shopkeep

02-14-2006, 12:38 AM

As paperweights, sure! ..wait, they're too light for that.

Maybe as tent stakes?

OK guys enough of the funny business... I only got them because I've already horded enough aluminum lowers. The thought of a CARBON-15 9mm carbine was just too much to resist.